New Volvos

Volvos of the 2000’s had quite long production runs, such as the S60 (2000-2009), the second-generation S40 (2004-2012) and the XC90 (2002-). Even though they had minor facelifts during their lifetime, they were essentially the same car, and ageing models aren’t treated very kindly in today’s market. This was mostly due to Volvo’s tumultuous tenure under Ford’s ownership, who were in trouble themselves and would keep all the good bits for Fords rather than the group’s premium brand.

However, those days are gone and it’s Chinese money keeping the Swedish boat afloat. The Volvo V40 was a promising start to the post-Ford era, a very stylish, unique and contemporary car that has, to my knowledge, garnered praise from various corners of the motor-journalistic world.

Volvo’s new cars look promising. First there’s the good-looking Concept Coupe that’s designed to show off the brand’s Scaleable Product Architecture (SPA) platform that will underpin all future Volvos, from the smallest to the largest cars. The car definitely reminds me of the Audi A5, which in one aspect is positive, because the A5 is very handsome, but bad in another way because no-one wants a chinese rip-off. I love coupes and I hope Volvo builds it, because their current “coupe”, the Pininfarina-penned C70 (it isn’t really a coupe, it’s a convertible), is as ugly as sin.

And other notable Volvo news is the upcoming all-new XC90. I normally don’t go for SUV’s at all, but this summer I was lucky enough to ride around in a V8 XC90, and one thing that I loved was how the centre back seat had an in-built booster seat that could move all the way forward, so my daughter had a proper view out the front. I’d buy the car just for that.